Threats Create Trouble for Schools, Threat-makers

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There is new information on threats that had police called into action two times last week at schools in Lycoming County.

School officials went so far as to dismiss students early for one of those threats.

In the most recent threat at a middle school near Williamsport, police said a student is in a heap of trouble for allegedly writing that bomb threat on a bathroom wall.

Even though they might be empty threats, officials said the threat-makers will end up paying a price for causing so much concern for everyone's safety.

The early dismissal at Hughesville Junior Senior High School was no drill Thursday. Other schools in the East Lycoming School District let out early too because school officials said someone threatened the safety of students and staff.

At the time, school officials said dismissing students was a precaution. Still, the question of whether or not the threat was real or a hoax meant officials had to take action.

"We can't just dismiss it. We have to take certain steps to make sure students are safe regardless how low the level or threat of it happening could be," said Officer Jason Bolt of the Williamsport Bureau of Police.

Officer Bolt works as a School Resource Officer with the Williamsport Area School District and dealt with the most recent threat at Lycoming Valley Middle School on Friday. School officials said the threat was not credible, but students were moved to the gym while authorities searched the building and determined it was safe.

Officer Bolt believes the student who made the threat, hoped school would dismiss just like it had the day before in the Hughesville area.

"That's what helped make this threat happen, somebody saw the reaction and wanted similar reaction."

Repercussions for making a threat include possibly being expelled from school as well as being ordered to pay the costs for the response from law enforcement too, according to officials.

Officials in the East Lycoming School District are still investigating the threat made last week.

A 14-year-old girl will face charges in juvenile court for the threat at the middle school near Williamsport on Friday, said state police.